Latch mechanism with automatic detent.



PATENTED OUT. 16, 1906.

H. G. .VOIGHT. LATCH MECHANISM WITH AUTOMATIC DETENT.

APPLICATION FILED JULYIQ, 1905.

22M mm I Mhltmcooeo THE NORRIS PETERS 00., WASHINGTON, a. c

bolt.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY Gr. VOIGHT, OF' NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO RUSSELL & ERVVIN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW BRIT- AIN, CONNECTICUT. A CORPOR ATION OF CONNECTICUT.

LATCH MECHANISM WITH AUTOMATIC DETENT.

No. 833,267. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 16, 1906.

Application filed July 19, 1905. Serial No. 270,307.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY G. Voienr, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at New Britain, county of Hartford, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Latch Mechanism with Automatic Detents, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description.

My invention relates to improvements in looks and latches, and particularly to a means for holding back the latch-bolt while the door is open, so that no part of the latch-bolt will protrude sufficiently to admit of anything catching thereon and becoming torn. It not infrequently happens that the wearingapparel of persons in passing an. open door is caught and torn by the protruding latch- By my invention this danger is entirely obviated In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of a portion of a lock or latch fitted with my improved holdback mechanism. Fig. 2 is a view of the parts shown in Fig. 1 in full looking down relatively to the position assumed in Fig. 1.. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of certain parts shown in Fig. 1, the holdback mechanism being shown in a different position.

It is unnecessary for me to describe in detail the particular mechanism employed for operating the latch, since that is not of the essence of this invention.

1 is the usual operating-knob.

2 is the latch bolt or head. This latch bolt or head ordinarily moves through a faceplate 3, arranged to stand at the edge of the door.

4 is a slide, and 4 is a connection between said slide and latch-bolt 2. The slide 4 is operated after the usual manner by a rollback 5. I

6 is a spring normally designed to press the bolt forward.

7 is a retaining device, in this particular instance in the form of a hook. This retaining device 7 is pivoted at 7 and is springactuated by spring 8.

9 is the operating member, pivoted at 9 and suitably connected with the hook 7, as by means of a pin 9*, moving in a slot in the end of the hook 7. The tendency of the spring 8 is to cause the hook 7 to assume the I position shown in Fig. 3 and incidentally to cause the operating member 9 to assume the position shown in said view.

l 10 represents conventionally the strikeplate on a door-casing. This strike-plate is provided with the usual cavity to receive the latch 2 whenthe door is closed. The oper- I ating member 9 is arranged to project through I a slot in the face-plate 3. When the door is closing, the operating member 9 will engage the strike-plate, and the edge of the operating member 9 being rounded or curved it is pushed back as the door closes and will shift I the hook 7 from the position shown in Fig. 3

to that shown in Fig. 1.

11 is a shoulder or pin on a part of the bolt 2. This pin 11 will be engaged by the hook 7 when the door is open, as shown in Fig. 3. When, however, the door is closed, the hook 7 is cast off by the automatic action of the operating member 9, whereupon the pin 11 is freed and the bolt may spring forward into the keeper recess in the strike-plate 10. When the door is opened, again, as is customary, the bolt 2 is retracted by the knob and the intermediate mechanism. As the door opens, the member 9 becomes freed from the strike-plate 10, whereupon the hook 7 will engage the pin 1].. When the knob 1 is released, the bolt 2 would spring out under the influence of the spring 6 were it not that the hook is engaging said pin. Thus during all of the time the door is open the angular end of the latch-bolt 2 will be retracted and only the'protruding rounded end of the operating member 9 will stand beyond the face of the end plate 3.

Not only is this invention useful as a means to prevent tearing the clothes of passers-by, but it is also extremely useful when the door is closing. Ordinarily it requires considerable force to push the latch-bolt 2 back against the tension of the spring 6,

l with the result that when the door closes were it not for the fact that the latch is held back the strike-plate wouldbecome battered and worn. my arrangement this is entirely avoided. Furthermore, it permits the use of a much heavier spring 6 than would otherwise be possible, smee it is ordinarily the manual power applied in o ening the door that retracts the latch 2. he operating member 9 may be pressed back very l easily, since the spring 8 need only be of sufficient strength to move the hook 7 and operating member 9. The strain of the spring 6 is taken directly by the pivot 7 a when the parts stand in the position shown in Fig. 8.

It will be observed that my arrangement is essentially an attachment which does not require any substantial modification of the lock or latch mechanism, but may be applied thereto simply, quickly, and at very little expense. When applied, it is of course necessary to provide a clearance-passage in the face-plate. This clearance-passage is in the preferred form spaced slightly away from the clearance-passage for the latch-bolt 2, so that the members 2 and 9 will never interfere.

What I claim is 1. In a device of the character described, a latch bolt or head, a manual operating device therefor, a pivoted retaining member arranged to hold back said latch-bolt when the same is retracted,and a pivoted operating device independent of the bolt and cooperating with said retaining device to automatic ally free the latter from the bolt when the door is closed.

2. In a device of the character described, a latch bolt or head, a manual operating de vice therefor, a pivoted hooked retaining member arranged to hold back said latchbolt when the same is retracted, and a pivoted operating device independent of the bolt and cooperating with said retaining device to automatically free the latter from the bolt when the door is closed.

3. In a latch mechanism, a frame having a face-plate, a bolt adapted to protrude therethrough, means for retracting said bolt, automatically-operable means for retaining said bolt when retracted by said retracting means,

and means for releasing said retaining means including an operating member plvoted on a vertical axis parallel to said face-plate, sald 1 member having an engaging face exposed at the face of the frame.

4. In a device of the character described, a latch bolt or head, a manual operating device therefor, a movable hooked retaining member arranged to automatically engage and hold back said latch-bolt when the same is retracted, and a swinging operating device independent of the bolt and cooperating with said retaining device to automatically free the latter from the bolt when the door is closed.

5. In a latch mechanism, a latch-bolt, a spring for giving it a normal outward extension, a knob for retracting said latch-bolt, means for automatically engaging the latchbolt to retain it after retraction by said knob, and a separate releasing device pivoted on a vertical axis and adapted to engage the face of the strike-plate and be pushed inward and retained when the door is closed to automatically release said latchbolt.

6. In a latch mechanism,a frame having a side plate adapted to one side of the door and an end plate adapted to the edge of the door, a bolt adapted to protrude through said end plate, an operating-slide carried'by the side plate, a knob carried by said plate, operative means of connection between said knob and said slide, said bolt when retracted by the operation of means for automatically retaining said knob, a spring operating to press saidbolt outwardly, and a pivoted device independent of the bolt and operable through the end plate and adapted to engage a strikerlate for releasing said retaining means.

7. In a latch mechanism, a bolt, means for retracting said bolt, a horizontally-swinging latch adapted to retain said bolt in its retracted position, and a horizontally-swinging releasing member for said latch independent of the bolt.

HENRY G. VOIGHT.

IVitnesses:

M. S. WIARD, O. E. RUssELL. 

